Makkah: More than 1.5 million white-clad pilgrims from across the world begin to head towards the tent city of Mina, Saudi Arabia, to spend the day of Tarwiyah as the annual Haj pilgrimage 1445 AH-2024 commences on Friday, June 14.
Amid the sweltering heat of 43 degrees Celsius, pilgrims made their way on foot and by bus to Mina, about five kilometres from the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
Watch the videos here
Taking to X on Friday, the Indian Haj mission wrote, “#Hajj2024 begins….!!!! First glimpses of boarding of Indian pilgrims from Azizia to Mina underway.”
The authorities in the Kingdom anticipate the number of pilgrims to exceed 2 million this year, as more individuals from within the country join the pilgrimage.
On the day of Tarwiyah which is the 8th day of the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah, pilgrims spend the rest of the day and the night, performing five prayers there namely Zhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and the Fajr of the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah, shortening the prayers of Zhuhr, Asr, and Isha to two rakahs (units of prayer).
After performing the Fajr prayer on the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah, they begin to leave Mina and head to Arafat for standing, which marks the climax of the annual pilgrimage.
This year the Haj takes place between June 14 and June 19, with Eid Al Adha celebrated on June 16.
This year’s Haj coincided with the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestinian militants.
Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam, is a once-in-a-lifetime duty for all Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey, which takes believers along the path travelled by the Prophet Muhammad some 1,400 years ago.
